Attorney defends Danbury dentist

News-Times, The (Danbury, CT)

Published
8:00 pm EDT, Monday, August 20, 2007

"Our side of the story is this was an irate patient," said Waterbury attorney Jerry Attanasio, who is representing Aram Y. Agadjanian, 47, of Woodbury. "From the moment he sat down, he was hostile and swearing."

Agadjanian was charged with third-degree assault last week in connection with the incident, which occurred July 31 at New England Dental on Main Street.

The patient, identified by his own lawyer, Agostinho Ribeiro, as Brendan Kravarik, 16, of Danbury, faces charges of criminal mischief, breach of peace and threatening for what Danbury police said were his actions after Agadjanian punched him.

According to a sworn statement from a dental assistant who was in the room when the assault occurred, Kravarik complained of pain while Agadjanian was preparing to pull a tooth.

The assistant, Gabriela Naim, said Agadjanian responded, "You have pain? I will show you pain," then slapped his face two or three times.

Agadjanian was terminated the day after the assault, a New England Dental spokesman previously said.

Attanasio, however, said Naim's testimony might be colored by her own feelings toward Agadjanian.

"I don't think they liked each other. She was new, and I think (Agadjanian) felt she was under-qualified," he said.

Attanasio also said the assault was "totally unrelated" to Agadjanian's arrest by Connecticut State Police on breach of peace and risk of injury charges for a disturbance at his home Aug. 14.

Agadjanian, who is scheduled to appear in Danbury Superior Court to answer the assault charge, will be in Waterbury Superior Court on Aug. 28 for the Woodbury incident.

"That was a domestic disturbance involving his stepson," Attanasio said. "He was just having a bad week."